Molte novità dagli Usa, e molte presentazioni!
Un po di belle fotine:
Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you all for joining us today for three very important events:
the world premiere of the all-new Lexus IS 350, high-performance sedan
the world debut of the all-new Lexus GS 450h hybrid sports sedan
and, most importantly, the arrival of the all-new, Lexus box-lunch, available at the rear of the theatre as you depart today's press conference.
There is good reason for staging the double world premiere of the IS 350 and the GS 450 here in New York. As you will soon hear, each vehicle is a major news story in itself.
But by combining the two we are making a statement with compelling evidence of how Lexus intends to grow the boundaries of the brand with a renewed focus on passionate styling and a serious dedication to high performance.
It's a focus, born out of a commitment to strengthen our leadership position as the number-one luxury brand in America: A focus that's mindful of the strength of the competition and the needs of our customers.
Just last month, the third-generation Lexus GS 300 and GS 430 arrived in dealerships. And their impact is already being felt.
The V8-powered GS 430 accelerates from zero-to-60 in less than six seconds. It is the quickest Lexus ever built. It is also the most technically advanced.
The GS 430 is the first Lexus sedan to offer an electronic variable-gear-ratio steering system capable of providing true, computer-controlled steering output.
It is also the first Lexus to offer Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management, a breakthrough stability-control system designed to anticipate the vehicle's handling limits then make nearly invisible corrections, allowing the car to be driven much closer to its handling limits, without noticeable intervention.
Its running mate, the Lexus GS 300, is powered by an all-new 245 horsepower V6 engine and is the first Lexus sedan to offer the all-weather/all-surface traction enhancement of full-time all-wheel drive.
In fact, more than 40 percent of all GS 300s we sell will be equipped with full-time all-wheel drive. That's more than 11,000 units or more than one-third of the total GS sales per year.
With the all-new GS we will change the perception of what a performance sedan is all about - in how it looks, how it feels and how it works.
The change has already begun. During its first month of limited availability GS has already increased its market share from three percent a year ago to eight percent today.
Traditionally, Mercedes and BMW have been the class leaders in sales, consistently maintaining an 18-percent-or-better share of market. Our goal, with the GS is to join the leaders near the front of the pack with an annual share-of-segment of more than 14 percent, while achieving an annual sales rate of about 33,000 units.
That's a bold statement and a bold move from our 2004 sales rate of 8,200 units and five-percent share of segment. But as consumers are quickly discovering, the GS is quite a package.
And if that isn't enough, at about this time next year we plan to make it even harder for our competitors to keep pace.
Next spring the GS 450h high-performance hybrid luxury sedan will join the all-new 300 and 430 as the premium model in the GS lineup. Powered by a new and more-advanced V6 hybrid powertrain, the 450h will not only be the first hybrid luxury-sedan on the market, it will be the first rear-drive hybrid ever offered.
Quicker than the V8-powered GS 430 and significantly more fuel efficient than the V6-powered GS 300, the 450h combines a level of performance, luxury-refinement and fuel efficiency, never before imagined.
Ladies and gentlemen...the 2007 Lexus GS 450h.
(REVEAL)
The GS 450h will be powered in a BIG way by an all-new 3.5-liter V6 gas-electric hybrid system. This potent new powertrain will generate peak output that will be substantially, substantially higher than the 300 horsepower provided by the V8-powered GS 430, with sufficient thrust to launch from zero-to-sixty in well under six seconds.
Even more impressive is how quickly and powerfully torque is delivered during mid-range acceleration. The system's massive electric motor is capable of delivering maximum torque, immediately upon demand. This unique power delivery characteristic is most noticeable and most useful during 30-to-50 passing and merging maneuvers. It's an experience that must be felt to be fully appreciated.
The 450h will not only carry one of the industry's best emissions rating, it will deliver combined fuel efficiency in the high-twenties.
To put all this into perspective, the 3.5-liter V6 gas-electric hybrid system will provide a level of acceleration performance similar to a 4.5-liter V8, with a level of fuel efficiency similar to a two-liter, four-cylinder compact sedan.
The GS 450h will immediately establish a new criteria for the capabilities and image of hybrid technology, while redefining what a high-performance luxury sedan is all about.
Equally important, the GS hybrid will fully embrace the traditional Lexus values of uncompromising luxury, impeccable refinement, unmatched quality and extraordinary ride comfort.
But perhaps most importanT is how the new GS 450h, as a total package, will be a car with no peer.
Some might be faster, a few more powerful. None, however will be capable of matching its amazing combination of power, performance and environmental efficiency.
It is the dawn of a new era among performance luxury sedans. And the GS 450h will lead the way.
Over the last two years, a new styling philosophy - that we call L-Finesse - has taken shape at Lexus Design. What has emerged from this two-year journey is not just a new direction in philosophy, but a new design language, based on dynamism, elegance and simplicity.
Simplicity in form and function. It is styling that is uncluttered and void of extraneous elements.
Elegance inside and out. The clear focus is to avoid exaggeration and to prioritize understated luxury.
The new GS marked the first practical application of the L-Finesse design language. The all-new Lexus IS performance sedan will be the second.
Last year, here at the New York show, we unveiled the third in a series of show cars designed to showcase the L-Finesse philosophy. The LF-C concept was a not-so-subtle hint at the direction we were planning to take with the next-generation Lexus IS.
Conceived to strengthen and extend the "aspirational sport" image of the current Lexus IS, the LF-C was designed to appeal to young luxury buyers seeking a sports sedan with both swagger and sophistication and the performance to back it up.
True to the concept of the LF-C, the next IS will clearly define an exciting new breed of luxury high-performance sedans from Lexus. IS will be a breed with a pedigree that will be unmistakable with a sophisticated style and high-performance to match.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the 2006 Lexus IS 350 performance sedan...
(REVEAL)
The all-new Lexus IS is a perfect example of how we plan to grow the Lexus brand over the next few years. That's because the IS 350 sedan we have here today will be one of four different models that will arrive at Lexus dealerships this fall. For the next IS to be a true force in the luxury-performance arena we knew it would need to offer a greater variety of power trains and drive trains significantly more performance and a more compelling style.
At the front of the line stands the IS 350. Developing more than 300 horsepower and more than 275 pounds of torque from its all-new 3.5-liter V6 engine, the IS 350 will accelerate from zero to 60 in less than six seconds.
Power will be transferred to the rear wheels via an all-new six-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission.
The IS 350 will feature a revised,more aggressive version,of the VDIM stability control system found in the new GS. The system is programmed to allow the driver to explore the outer edges of the vehicle's limits of adhesion before it employs nearly invisible corrections via braking, steering and throttle control.
Joining the top-line 350 in this three model lineup will be the IS 250 available in both rear-drive and full-time all-wheel drive. The IS 250 will be powered by an all-new 2.5 liter engine which will produce well more than 200 horsepower.
The rear-drive 250 will be the core model in the IS lineup, accounting for about 50 percent of sales with the all-wheel drive IS 250 model accounting for about 30 percent of the total mix.
Riding on a version of the new GS platform, the IS will be larger in every dimension than the model it replaces. It will share its basic suspension layout and design with the GS, although it will be tuned a bit more aggressively, and it will offer both 17- and 18-inch wheels and tires.
One area of the platform that is substantially different than the GS is the underbody. The IS underwent considerable wind tunnel work to clean-up under-body air flow. The frontal area was designed to produce a venturi-effect, directing air to the rear diffuser section.
The underbody refinements resulted in a significant effect on aerodynamic lift, achieving a measurable reduction at speeds as low as 35 miles per hour.
Standard equipment on the new IS series will be extensive. All models will be equipped with a total of eight airbags, including knee bags for both driver and front passenger and a new twin-chamber front-passenger air bag.
Standard features will be extensive,including Smart Access for keyless starting, a 13-speaker sound system with I-POD and MP3 compatibility, tire pressure monitoring, pollen air filtration, and a 13-speaker sound system with MP3 and IPOD compatibility.
Which brings us to the matter of pricing. With about seven months before launch, we are not-yet prepared to offer pricing specifics. However, I can tell you that our three model-strategy was designed with a purpose.
The IS 350 will be our halo vehicle, establishing performance credentials on a par or better than anything in the class.
The 250 will be our core vehicle, delivering surprising performance and extraordinary value. In fact, we anticipate that the MSRP on the new IS 250 will probably come in very close to the current price of the first-generation IS that it replaces.
That's value that we think will resonate with young, near-luxury buyers,and it's a big reason why we anticipate to achieve an annual sales target of about more than 45,000 units per year,.a more than a 600-percent increase over our current sales pace.
We are extremely pleased to have with us today,the person most responsible for the development of the new Lexus IS series. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Chief Engineer Suguya Fukusato. Mr. Fukusato, thanks for joining us today.
Since the first-generation IS 300 debuted in 2000, Lexus has fielded a strong,two-vehicle strategy in the near-luxury segment. The ES 330, our number-one-selling entry-level luxury car, has anchored the "comfort-luxury" end of the spectrum, allowing the IS to run free, in the "performance-luxury" subset.
It is a strategy that has given us tremendous leverage and flexibility,at a price point that is at the epicenter of luxury-car sales. And it is a strategy that will remain intact with the launch of the new IS in the fall.
(re-reveal both vehicles)
However, it should be clear by now, that the new IS performance sedan,has a much closer relationship to the GS,than it does to the ES.
Both will carry serious high-performance credentials. Both make a statement, that the Lexus brand is moving quickly in a new and exciting direction, while retaining the core values that have made us the leader in the US luxury market.
With the arrival of the all-new GS 300 and 430 in February,the launch of the IS 350 and 250 this fall, and the debut of the GS 450h early next year, Lexus is redefining the balance between luxury and performance.
By doing so,we are growing the boundaries of a brand,intent on retaining its leadership position among luxury brands here in America,for many years to come.
To that point, it's important to keep in mind that the Lexus brand,which has flourished here in America for the past 15 years, has become a key factor in an expanding global ,corporate strategy.
Just this month, we opened for business in three cities in China. In a few months, the Lexus brand launches in the Japan market, with 150 dedicated dealerships nationwide,selling the new IS and GS, as well as the SC luxury coupe.
In Europe, the Lexus brand is estimated to grow from about 25,000 units in 2004,to about 65,000 units by 2010.
Europe's aggressive sales plan begins this year,with the arrival of RX400h luxury hybrid SUV this spring, and the launch of the first-ever diesel-powered offering from Lexus, the IS 220, which debuted three weeks ago at the Geneva Auto Show,and will arrive at European dealers this fall.
Here in North America, we will benefit greatly by the roll-out of the all-new Lexus RX400h,,the GS,,and the IS. With the help of these three key vehicles,we anticipate that annual sales for calendar year 2005,will increase by more than three percent,putting us very close to annual sales of 300,000 units.
As you can see, Lexus is changing,and growing,and expanding its global presence.
Thanks again for your kind attention this afternoon.
Un po di belle fotine:
unk: 
